Mr. Dale E. Lemke was born in Elgin, North Dakota on December 24, 1954. He grew up on a farm located 22 miles outside of Mott, North Dakota and graduated from Mott Lincoln High School in 1973 with honours. Mr. Lemke went on to attend the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks and graduated with honours in 1976 with a computer science major and a minor in math.

While attending University, Dale married his high school sweetheart, Deborah, in September 1976. Because Deborah was originally from Canada, they moved back and forth from North Dakota to Saskatchewan over the next few years.

Immediately after graduation from UND in 1976, Mr. Lemke was employed by the Aviation Department of UND to write computer programs to analyze radar weather data to determine the results of cloud seeding programs in the prevention of hailstorms. One year later, Dale and Deb moved to Saskatoon where S.E.D. Systems, a space engineering company, employed Dale to write software to automate weather data collection and analysis for Atmospheric Environment Services Canada. While working at SED between 1977 and 1980, Dale also worked on software projects to automatically weigh and log the status of rail cars for Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and to monitor and automate control systems for the Saskatoon Water Processing system.

In 1980, Dale moved back to Grand Forks, North Dakota to open the first Computerland store in North Dakota with his brother, Kevin Lemke. Computerland was a franchise computer store that sold some of the first microcomputers such as the Apple II and the IBM personal computer to consumers and small business. One year later, in 1981, Dale moved to Fargo to open their second Computerland store in North Dakota. In 1982, Dale had an opportunity to sell his share in the Computerland store and they moved back to Saskatoon where he worked for MacKay Technical Business School, a private computer school, where he developed and taught computer courses.

While in Saskatoon, in 1983, Dale founded his own company called Display Systems International. He designed and developed the first product called a character generator, which was software that was burned into a cartridge, which turned the Atari game machine into a cable TV advertising and information display system. DSI continues to develop software products compatible with Windows Operating Systems that are used by the cable and private cable TV industry for advertising channels, community events and program listings. Over the last 22 years, about 95% of DSI’s sales have been made in the US. Most of DSI’s sales are to cable companies and schools, but other installations include Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship, which is the largest cruise ship in the world. Other sales have included the US Army, NASA, AT&T, Louisiana Power and Light and Caterpillar, and have been around the world in countries such as Korea, England, Dominican Republic, Argentina and Saudi Arabia. DSI has won numerous awards and recognitions including:

• 2005 ABEX winner in Technology in Action New Saskatchewan Product and finalist in Exports;
• 2005 SABEX winner in Best New Product and finalist in Exports;
• Feb 2000 Saskatchewan Business Magazine Ninth Fastest Growing Company in Saskatchewan;
• 1999 Entrepreneur of the Year Award nominee;
• 1999 runner-up for the STEP Exporter of the Year award;
• Feb 1999 Saskatchewan Business Magazine Twelfth Fastest Growing Company in Saskatchewan;
• 1999 ABEX finalist in Marketing and Innovative Work Solutions;
• 1999 SABEX winner in Marketing and finalist in Exports;
• 1997 SABEX finalist in Exports;
• 1996 ABEX finalist in Best New Product;
• 1996 SABEX winner in Best New Product and finalist in Exports;
• 1992 ABEX finalist in Exports.

Mr. Lemke also co-founded Terminal Systems International in 1997, with his partner Mr. David Reid of Saskatoon. TSI has developed software products that are used by airports to display flight information in the terminal and over the Internet. The company also has software products that automate gate scheduling at the airport, simplify billing processes and standardize airport database functions. TSI has over 30 installations in airports around the world, in countries such as the US, Mexico, Taiwan, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and Canada. One of the company’s latest installation is at the new Bismarck Airport in North Dakota. TSI is currently in negotiations for contracts for airports in Panama City, Panama and Lagos, Nigeria. The company is also waiting to find out if it will win a bid for a gate scheduling solution in Houston, Texas. TSI has won numerous awards and recognitions including:

• Feb 2001 Saskatchewan Business Magazine second Fastest Growing Company in Saskatchewan
• 2000 Entrepreneur of the Year Award nominee;
• 2000 ABEX winner in New Venture and finalist in Marketing;
• 2000 SABEX finalist in New Business, Innovation, Marketing, Exports and New Product;
• 1999 ABEX finalist in New Saskatchewan Product, Exports, Marketing, New Venture;
• 1999 SABEX winner in Innovation and Business of the Year and finalist in New Business Venture, Marketing, Exports and New Product;
• 1998 ABEX finalist in New Saskatchewan Product;
• 1998 SABEX winner in Innovation and Best New Venture and finalist in New Product, Marketing, Exports and Customer Service.

Mr. Lemke continues to live in Saskatoon with his wife, Deborah. Dale is a founding member of SATA (the Saskatchewan Advanced Technology Association) and is also the immediate past-president of SATA. He is also on the board of directors and executive council for the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, is immediate past co-chair of the Chamber’s Investment and Growth Committee and is 2nd Vice President of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. Dale also sits on the Economic Development Committee for the NSBA (North Saskatoon Business Association). Mr. Lemke is also a founding member of SAINT (the Saskatchewan Angel Investors Network). He was also a founding member of the Provincial Exporters Association. Display Systems International, Inc. holds memberships with the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, the North Saskatoon Business Association, SATA, and STEP (Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership).